Diversity is the secret to being a successful digital marketing agency

Well, yes — but there’s so much more to it. It’s our diversity.

A team from all walks of life

The diversity at Push stems from the strong values we strive to uphold in the way we conduct business and the way we look out for our employees. We’re a family. Like most families, we might have a bit of a difference of opinion from time to time, but nothing that can’t be sorted out by a catch-up, a cuppa and a custard cream (or even a chocolate bourbon if that’s how you roll).

A great many of our employees are in their early 20s, just starting out in their careers. It’s wonderful to be in a position where we can set our employees on the road to becoming truly excellent at what they do and living the lives they want.

Having a team comprising individuals from every walk of life absolutely negates the risk of complacency setting in. Every employee, no matter their position, knows there’s no barrier to what they can achieve, no glass ceiling, no bias. Ricky Solanki and I take this attitude of openness as a given, and we’re surprised more businesses don’t do the same. By engendering a culture of inclusiveness, we foster a spirit of innovation.

Our employees come from many races, orientations, ages; they are individuals of different creeds, nationalities and backgrounds, whether professional, academic or cultural. Even the fact my fellow CEO Ricky is an avid Reds fan (Liverpool for the footballing philistines out there) and I myself am a true Blue through and through, Chelsea cannot divide us (for the most part — the days following the 2012 FA Cup Final proved to be a little tense). Our offices are large, spacious and totally non-segregated, with employees of every position sitting among one another, constant inter-departmental interaction the norm.

But why is it that diversity pushes Push to be one of Europe’s leading PPC agencies?

Seven benefits of having a widely diverse workforce:

1) Increased creativity: Working together for long periods of time can naturally put a strain on the dynamic between any group of people. However, individuals from different backgrounds tend toward having different perspectives, and therefore will have ways of looking at the world and approaching problems that are novel to other members of the team. From this starting point, we often see a melting pot of fresh, exciting ideas bubbling away at the core of our team.

2) A variety of skills and experiences: You never know just how someone’s diverse skillset or past experiences might help both them and the team at large. Intelligent individuals are malleable and can turn their past knowledge into transferable skills in order to benefit their present workplace. A variety of experiences and skillsets is highly valuable when it comes to planning and executing a business strategy.

3) Faster problem-solving: It’s certainly no secret that Push are all about speed. We understand the importance of sticking to tight deadlines and making things happen. But a speedy turnaround doesn’t just happen a propos of nothing — and once again it’s our diverse workplace culture that steps up to the plate. Harvard Business Review found that companies with more highly diverse teams are able to solve problems faster because they bring a variety of perspectives to the table. This means the optimal solution will be found sooner rather than later.

4) Increased profit: Global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company conducted research into 180 companies worldwide and found that the most diverse teams are the top financial performers. Because of their abovementioned optimised problem-solving rates, these businesses achieve better results and reap the rewards.

5) Reduced employee turnover: Companies with more diverse workforces almost always have cultures of inclusiveness. This leads to employees feeling valued and accepted for whom they are, causing them to be happier and more engaged. A diverse workforce begets greater employee engagement, as found by Deloitte’s research into inclusiveness in the workplace. More satisfied employees stick around longer — it’s as simple as that. Reduced turnover can save a company millions in training up new employees, and a consistent workforce creates an atmosphere of strong interpersonal dynamics that money simply cannot buy.

6) Improved hiring results: Word spreads when there’s a great new company in town. People want to work there, want to be part of the fun. A diverse team inevitably creates a workplace more desirable to those seeking pastures new, as corroborated by a Glassdoor survey, which found that no fewer than 67% of jobseekers cite a diverse workforce as an important factor when considering job offers. Put simply, a diverse workplace can — and does — attract top talent.

7) Better company reputation: Businesses who dedicate themselves to building and promoting diversity are perceived as authentic, sincere, socially responsible, fair, more human… the list goes on. A diverse workforce is also seen to be more interesting, not least because you increase the number of people cognizant of and interested in your brand and what you stand for. This opens doors to endless avenues of potential, be they new markets, new customers or new business partners.

So it’s a bit of an open secret — so what?

Here at Push, we wholeheartedly accept employees from every walk of life, from every background, both professional and personal. Our workplace is bright, vibrant, fun; our employees are engaged, creative and totally invested in the work they do. This is no accident.

You can’t put a price on employees feeling like they work somewhere they belong. Many people spend nearly as much time with their own families as they do with their colleagues, so engendering a spirit of inclusiveness and acceptance is utterly invaluable and unequivocally crucial to the success of any business. A diverse workplace means everyone is welcome. (Except Reds fans).

Steven Hyde, Co-CEO at Push Group.